Related Articles: Ahl As-Sunnah - Who Are They?; The Importance of Following the Way of the Salaf As-Saaliheen
The Creed of the Salaf As-Saaliheen - the "Salafi" Creed - is the authentic, pure Creed that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came with, as the Salaf As-Saaliheen (in reference to the first three generations, starting with the generation of the Companions) were the ones to receive and preserve the Creed they learned from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Their teachings are a testament to the effort they put to preserve the religion of Al-Islaam from the poisons of the misguided groups that emerged after the death of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, who split from the Jamaa'ah (main body which the Sahaabah were upon). Scholars across all of the major Fiqh schools contributed to the preservation of the pure teachings which the Salaf were upon. From those who studied under and ascribed to the Shaafi'ee School in Fiqh, many have stood out as they produced works in deference of the Salafi Creed. Below is a very brief list of Shaafi'ee scholars who's contributions were preserved until this day.
(1) The Imam, Muhammad Ibn Idrees Ash-Shaafi'ee (d. 204H) -
Author of the Aqeedah narrated by Ibn Abee Ya'laa and others.
(2) Imam Al-Humaidee (d. 219H) - Author of Usool As-Sunnah (External link: English text).
(3) Imam Al-Muzanee (d. 264H) - Author of Sharh as-Sunnah (External link: English text), which highlights matters of Ijmaa’ (consensus) among the Muslim ummah. The treatise has been cited by major scholars including Imam Aboo Taahir As-Silafee, Imam Adh-Dhahabee and Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim. Imam Aboo Ibraaheem Ismaa'eel ibn Yahyaa Al-Muzani was one of the main students of Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee.
(4) Imam AbdulAzeez Ibn Yahya Al-Kinaanee (d. 240H) - Author of Al-Haydah Wal-I'tidhaar, which has been preserved through 2 distinct chains of narration.
(5) Imam Uthmaan Ibn Sa'eed Ad-Daarimee (d. 280H) - Author of Naqd Al-Mirreesee, and Ar-Radd Ala-Al-Jahmiyyah.
(6) Imam Al-Marwazi (d. 294H) - Author of "As-Sunnah".
(7) Imam At-Tabari (d. 310H) - Author of "Tafseer At-Tabari" and Sareeh As-Sunnah. He was the student of Ar-Rabee’ ibn Sulaimaan Al-Jeezee Al-Azadee, who was a major student of Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee.
(8) Imam Ibn Khuzaimah (d. 311H) - Author of Kitaab At-Tawheed as well as "Saheeh ibn Khuzaimah" (مختصر المختصر من المسند الصحيح عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم). He was Imam Aboo Bakr Muhammad ibn Is-haaq ibn Khuzaimah, described as Imam Al-A'immah by As-Saaboonee and other great scholars. He was the student of Al-Muzani (who was one of the main students of Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee).
(9) Imam Ibn Abee Haatim (d. 327H) - Narrated Aqeedah Ar-Raaziyain and collected Imam As-Shaafi’ee’s creedal positions in his book “Manaaqib Ash-Shaafi’ee”.
(10) Imam Al-Aajurree (d. 360H) - Author of Ash-Shareeah.
(11) Imam Al-Ismaa'eelee (d. 371H) - Author of I'tiqaad A'immat Al-Hadeeth.
(12) Imam Ad-Daaraqutnee (d. 385H) - Author of "As-Sifaat".
(13) Imam Al-Laalakaa'ee (d. 418H) - author of Sharh I’tiqaad Ahl-As-Sunnah (an encyclopedia with narrations of aqeedah from a large number of scholars).
(14) Imam As-Saaboonee (d. 449) - Author of Aqeedah As-Haab Al-Hadeeth (External link: English text) (read by many scholars with connected sanad, including from Hanafi, Maliki, Shaafiee (ex. Ibn Kathir), and Hanbali (ex. AbdulGhaniy and Muwaffaq Ibn Qudaamah, as well as Shams Ibn Qudaamah - teacher of Nawawi and Ibn Taimiyyah).
(15) Imam Sa'd Az-Zanjaanee (d. 471H) - Author of the Raa'iyyah poem.
(16) Imam Abul-Hasan Al-Karjee (d. 532H) - Author of the Poem on creed (whcih has partially been preserved). He narrates matters pertaining to Aqeeah and Sunnah from the Shaikh of the Shaafi-iyyah for Iraaq - Aboo Haamid Al-Isfreeheenee (such as quote on Al-Baaqillaanee).
(17) Imam Ismaaeel At-Taimee Al-Asbahaanee (d. 535H) - Author of Al-Hujjah Fee Bayaan Al-Mahajjah.
(18) Imam Aboo Taahir As-Silafee (d. 576H) - Narrated Sharh I’tiqaad Ahl-As-Sunnah, Sharh As-Sunnah of Al-Muzani, and other important books. (Fun fact: From among those whom he narrates from, he narrated from the author of Matn Abi Shujaa' - the famous work on Shaafi'ee fiqh).
(19) Imam Al-Mizzee (d. 742H) - Copist of Saaboonee’s creed. Known to read and attend sittings on books of Salafi scholars on creed (he was arrested for reading Bukhari’s book Khalq Af’aal al-’Ibaad).
(20) Imam Adh-Dhahabee (d. 748H) - Author of As-Siyar (biography on scholars of sunnah, in which he defended Salafi scholars), as well as "Al-Uluw" and "Al-Arsh".
(21) Imam Ibn Katheer (d. 774H) - Author of "Tafseer ibn Katheer", and Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah (in which he addressed some important creed, example on Istiwaa’. Known to read and attend sittings on books of Salafi scholars on creed, his name is mentioned with a connected Isnaad to As-Saaboonee’s aqeedah book.